“How do Christians envision the future of interreligious relationships in the post Assad Syria?”

In this lecture delivered on November 27, 2012,Dr. Najib Awad showsthat the Christians in Syria are neither silent nor indifferent to the Syrian Spring, and shedslight on the real essence of the Christians? stance on the Syrian revolution.

He discusseshow the Christians? main concern is the question of the country?s future. The lecture explainsthe Christians? serious concerns, if not their fears, about the future of interreligious relationships in the country, and why they think that a serious dialogue between the minorities and the Sunni majority in the country over the future of the Syrian state and society may not actually take place or be possible.

Najib Awad joined the faculty at Hartford Seminary in August, as Associate Professor of Christian Theology. Heis a Presbyterian theologian from Syria.

The breadth of his scholarship is reflected in his range of publications, from ?The Passion Narrative in the Gospel of Matthew: A Historico-Narrative Criticism? to his most recent book, “And Freedom Became a Public Square: Political, Sociological and Religious Overviews on the Arab Christians and the Arabic Spring.”

Previously Najib was Lecturer in Systematic and Contextual/Intercultural Theology in the Intercultural Theology program of Gšttingen University in Germany. He also was a Visiting Fellow for a year at Yale Divinity School in 2008-2009.